Olive Garden restaurant is seeking to capture students' future aspirations and plans, to achieve their goals, as part of its 15th-annual Pasta Tales essay writing contest. This year, Olive Garden is asking students to: "Describe how furthering your education beyond high school will help make your dreams come true." The contest grand prize is a three-day trip to New York City, including dinner at the Olive Garden in Times Square, and a $2,500 savings bond.

The contest, running now through January 21, 2011, will give students in the first through 12th-grade in the U.S. and Canada the opportunity to share their stories in essays of 50 to 250 words. Pasta Tales entry forms and complete rules are available on Olive Garden's website at www.olivegarden.com/company/community/pasta_tales.asp and at local Olive Garden restaurants.

In addition to the grand prize trip to New York City and $2,500 savings bond, winners will be named in each grade category and awarded a $500 savings bond and family dinner at their local Olive Garden restaurant.